1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to the field of safety devices and is directed to an apparatus adapted to be mounted on a watercraft. More specifically, the invention is directed to an improved safety signaling apparatus incorporating a mast, for use on personal watercraft, such as kayaks and canoes, making such watercraft more visible to others when in use while also incorporating technology to improve the durability and performance of said signaling apparatus.
2. Description of Prior Art
Signaling devices for vehicles in general and for watercraft in particular are well-known in the art. Signaling devices incorporating masts have been known as least as early as Deming, U.S. Pat. No. 1,279,669, issued Sep. 24, 1918. Deming discloses a flagstaff holder to be clamped onto a car grill. Kirvutza, U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,075, issued Jun. 5, 1979, discloses a flag holder for use on bicycles, incorporating a mechanism to move the flagstaff when the bicycle is operated. Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,718, issued Oct. 28, 2003, discloses a flagstaff holder adapted to attach to a trailer ball hitch, having an adjustable height. None of the foregoing inventions disclose a marine use for the disclosed signaling device, nor describe an attachment means for the flag holders adapted for use on a planar surface. Asciutto, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,354, issued Dec. 30, 1986, does disclose a mast mounting means for use on a planar surface, though not specifically for marine use. Asciutto uses a threaded bolt and a plastic collar, with the bolt secured to the surface by the collar. Both the bolt and the collar contain apertures, which are aligned, to permit insertion of a mast. As assembled, the mast, collar, and bolt are in a fixed orientation to each other and to the planar surface.
Signaling devices utilizing flag masts for marine uses are also well-known. Handelman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,441, issued Sep. 25, 1973, discloses a floating buoy with a telescoping mast. Wainwright, U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,529, issued Mar. 25, 1975, discloses a mast assembly adapted to be worn on a diver's belt. Oberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,856, issued Jul. 19, 1977, discloses a safety flag adapted to be carried on a life jacket worn by water skiers. Searls, U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,556, issued Oct. 21, 1980, discloses a floating lifesaving device incorporating a mast and flag. Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,965, issued Jul. 15, 1986, discloses a pivoting mast assembly adapted to be worn on a diver's belt. While all the foregoing inventions make use of a mast and a flag as the primary signaling device, none are adapted for mounting directly on watercraft.
The prior art discloses mast-based signaling devices adapted for use on watercraft. Frisbee, U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,450, issued Mar. 19, 1974, discloses a flag and mast assembly mountable on a boat. The Frisbee device comprises a containment tube for the flag and mast and a means for ejecting the flag and mast from the containment tube and a means for retracting the flag and mast into the containment tube. Pressler, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,796, issued Oct. 31, 1978, discloses a mast and flag assembly mountable on the forward deck of a boat, with a hinged base allowing the mast to be folded flat against the deck or raised to a substantially vertical position. Leffel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,720, issued Oct. 16, 1990, discloses a retractable, telescoping mast stored below-decks and extendable above deck. The mast may be raised by powered or manual means. Hansaker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,026, issued Mar. 14, 1995, also discloses a retractable, telescoping mast stored below-decks and extendable above deck. The Hansaker device is powered, may be mounted in the stem of a boat, and may carry a signaling device other than a flag, such as a light. Kell, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,787, issued May 2, 2000, discloses a flag and mast assembly that is automatically raised when the watercraft onto which it is mounted is traveling at a low rate of speed. The Kell device is powered and may incorporate a telescoping mast. Patera, U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,248, issued Jun. 26, 2001, and Patera, U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,366, issued Nov. 19, 2002, disclose a mast-mounted signaling device mountable on the bumper of a personal watercraft, the device having a pendulum mechanism to retain the mast in an upright orientation even when the watercraft has capsized. The signaling device may be a flag or another device, such as a light or siren. When the watercraft is stopped the mast is in a vertical orientation, and when the watercraft is in motion the mast is angled rearward.
None of the foregoing art discloses a simple, inexpensive safety signaling apparatus that can be easily and quickly mounted onto and removed from the upper surface of any type of watercraft, but especially small watercraft such as kayaks and canoes. Frisbee, Pressler, Leffel, Hansaker, and Kell all disclose devices in which the mast must be raised in order to achieve its signaling function, unlike the present invention which is always available. None of these devices contain the present invention's safety feature of a quick-release for the mast, which minimizes damage to the mast or potentially dangerous interference with the watercraft. Hansaker and Kell require complex powered mechanisms to deploy the masts. The Patera inventions require complex pendulum mechanisms to retain the mast in the desired orientation.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a useful, inexpensive safety g apparatus that can be easily and quickly mounted onto and removed from the upper of any type of watercraft, but especially small Watercraft such as kayaks and canoes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety signaling apparatus adapted to be readily noticeable without interfering with the operation of the watercraft.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety signaling apparatus that reduces the risk of being damaged.
Other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.